EP0327099B1

EP0327099B1 - Cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase, process for its preparation and novel microorganism useful for the process

Info

Publication number: EP0327099B1
Application number: EP89101887A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Koko Horikoshi
Original assignee: RIKEN Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
Current assignee: RIKEN Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
Priority date: 1988-02-04
Filing date: 1989-02-03
Publication date: 1993-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2009-02-03
Also published as: JPH01199575A; US5102800A; KR890013173A; EP0327099A2; DE68909625T2; DE68909625D1; DK50889D0; DK50889A; KR910002852B1; US5019507A; EP0327099A3

Description

The present invention relates to a novel cyclomaltodextrin transferase (EC. 2. 4. 1. 19; hereinafter referred to as CGTase) which preferentially produces beta-cyclodextrin (hereinafter referred to as β-CD) from starch and a process for its preparation. The present invention particularly relates to a novel CGTase which is obtained by cultivation of the novel microorganism Bacillus coagulans and which preferentially produces β-CD from starch or partial hydrolysates thereof to form a carbohydrate mixture containing β-CD as the main component, and a method for its preparation.
A CGTase is an enzyme catalyzing the following reactions: CD producing reactions producing cyclodextrins (hereinafter referred to as CDs) by acting on the α-1,4-glucopyranoside bond of an α-1,4-glucan such as starch, amylose, amylopectin and glycogen or partial hydrolysates thereof; coupling reactions cleaving CDs and transferring their glycosyl residues to several glycosyl acceptors such as sucrose and maltooligosaccharides; and disproportionation reactants producing maltooligosaccharides with various molecular weights by intermolecular transferring reactions of various maltooligosaccharides. α-CD (cyclohexaamylose) consisting of six glucose units, β-CD (cycloheptaamylose) consisting of seven glucose units and γ-CD (cyclooctaamylose) consisting of eight glucose units are well-known as CDs but branched CDs branching at the 6th-position of glucose of CDs through α-1,6-glucopyranoside bonds are also obtained.
These CDs have the property to form inclusion complexes by incorporating various organic compounds (referred to as guest compounds) into cavities thereof due to their specific structure exhibiting hydrophobic nature. As a result, CDs advantageously improve properties of the guest compounds such as stability to heat, oxygen or ultraviolet rays and solubility in water and various solvents. Thus, CDs are utilized not only in the field of foods but also in the pharmaceutic, cosmetic, pesticide and various other fields.
As mentioned above, CDs are obtained as a mixture of various CDs and maltooligosaccharides by the action of CGTase on an α-1,4-glucan such as starch or partial hydrolysates thereof, but the product yield and yield ratio of the CDs varies slightly depending on the origin of the CGTase. Several microorganisms are known as sources of CGTases. Microorganisms belonging to the genus Bacillus are known as particularly good producers of a CGTase. For example, the following microorganisms are known: B.macerans (Biochemistry, vol. 7, p. 114, 1968 and Agric. Biol. Chem., vol. 38, p.387, 1974 and ibid, vol. 38, p.2413, 1974); B.circulans (Amylase Symposium, vol. 8. p. 21, 1973); B.megaterium (Agric. Biol. Chem., vol. 38, p. 387, 1974 and ibid, vol. 38, p. 2413, 1974); B.stearothermophilus (Japanese Patent No. 947335, J. Jap. Soc. Starch Sci., vol. 29, p. 7, 1982); and alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. (Die Stärke, vol. 27, p. 410, 1975, Agric. Biol. Chem., vol. 40, p. 935, 1976 and ibid, vol. 40, p. 1785, 1976).
Aside from microorganisms belonging to the genus Bacillus, Klebsiella pneumoniae (Arch. Microbiology, vol. 111, p. 271, 1977, Carbohydr. Res., vol. 78, p. 133, 1980 and ibid, vol. 78, p. 147, 1980) is reported to produce a CGTase. The CGTases produced by various micoorganisms are classified into α-CD and β-CD-forming types on the basis of the initial reaction product produced from starch. B.macerans and K.pneumoniae produce the α-CD-forming type and B.circulans, B.megaterium and alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. produce the β-CD-forming type. Further, the CDs content of the reaction product produced by a CGTase of B.stearothermophilus from starch is as follows: β-CD > α-CD > γ-CD. However, this CGTase is properly of the α-CD type because the initial reaction product of this CGTase is α-CD (Japanese Patent No. 947335 and J. Jap. Soc. Starch Sci., vol. 29, p. 13, 1982).
A CGTase of the γ-CD producing type was recently found but its γ-CD productivity is quite low, making it inappropriate for practical use (Denpun Kagaku, vol. 33, p. 137, 1986 and Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 61-274680).
Appropriate use of a CGTase according to a specific purpose is advantageous since CGTases from different sources exhibit different actions depending on pH and temperature. Different product yields and yield ratios of CDs from starch are also obtained. However, a CGTase with a suitable optimum temperature and pH or better stability to temperature and pH is easier to use industrially. In general, it is preferred that the optimum temperature of an enzyme used for production of a starch sugar such as amylase be between 65 and 70°C and that the optimum pH thereof be in the weak acid range of 4.5 to 6.5. One reason for setting the optimum temperature at 65 to 70°C is to prevent microorganism pollution (infection) of the reaction solution. Microoganism pollution makes it necessary to use large amounts of alkaline agents such as sodium hydroxide to compensate for the pH drop of the reaction solution which is caused by the pollution. It also requires purification by, for example, deionizing and decoloring, which makes the process expensive and difficult. Further, the use of CGTases having higher optimum temperature and stable temperature is not economical because it requires more energy to maintain the temperature of the reaction vessel and the enzymes are inactivated.
Moreover, when CGTases having an optimum pH in the alkaline range are used, an isomerization reaction occurs simultaneously with the enzyme reaction and colorization which reduces the product yield and makes the purification operation complicated. Therefore, the use of such a CGTase is not economical.
As described above, CGTases useful for industrial processes should not only exhibit high productivity of CDs from starch but also suitable optimum temperature, optimum pH and temperature stability for practical use.
An object of the present invention is to provide a β-CD type CGTase capable of producing CDs from starch cheaply and with high productivity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a β-CD type CGTase which has an optimum temperature of about 65°C, at which pollution with microorganisms during reaction can be prevented, which can be inactivated at about 80°C and which has an optimum pH in the weak acid range.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparation of a novel CGTase having the above properties and a novel microorganism useful in this process.
Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed explanation of the invention.
The aforementioned objects of the invention can be accomplished by providing a CGTase having the following physical properties:

(a) Action: Cleavage of α-1,4-glucopyranoside bonds of an α-1,4-glucan such as starch and glycogen, or partial hydrolysates thereof resulting in cyclodextrins and production of β-cyclodextrin as the initial reaction product;
(b) Substrate specificity: Reaction with a maltooligosaccharide having α-1,4-glucopyranosidic linkages with a chain length not less than that of maltotriose to form various maltooligosaccharides with various molecular weights and cyclodextrins by an intermolecular disproportionating reaction between substrates;
(c) Optimum pH: About 6.5
(d) Stable pH: Stable at pH 6 to 9 at 40°C for 2 hours;
(e) Optimum temperature: About 65°C;
(f) Inactivation condition: Completely inactivated by treatment at pH 4.5 and 11.5 at a temperature of 40°C for 2 hours and by treatment at pH 6 at 75°C for 15 minutes;
(g) Heat stability: Stable up to 50°C when incubated at pH 6 for 15 minutes. The residual activity at 60°C and 70°C is 95% and 20%, respectively, under the same conditions;
(h) Inhibition: Inhibited by mercury (II)- or copper(II)-ions;
(i) Activation and stabilization: Stabilized by calcium ions;
(j) Molecular weight (SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis): 36,000 ± 1,000;
(k) Isoelectric point (chromatofocusing): 4.8 ± 0.1.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows the time-course change of α, β, γ and total CD when the CGTase of the present invention is used. Figs. 2 and 4 respectively show the pH effect and temperature effect on the CGTase activity. Figs. 3 and 5 show the profiles of pH- and thermal-stabilities of the enzyme. Fig. 6 shows the effect of Ca²⁺ concentration on the thermal stability of the CGTase of the present invention. Fig. 7 shows the calculation of molecular weight of the CGTase of the present invention by SDS-PAGE. Fig. 8 shows the isoelectric point of the CGTase of the present invention which is 4.8 ± 0.1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The CGTase of the present invention can be obtained by cultivating a CGTase producing novel microorganism belonging to the species Bacillus coagulans, which is a moderate thermophile obtained from soil, and collecting the CGTase produced extracellularly from the culture fluid.
The CGTase producing microorganism used in the present invention which has been discovered and isolated from soil by the inventors of this invention was identified as Bacillus coagulans from the facts that it is aerobic, Grampositive, has spore-forming rods, motility and peritrichous flagella. Taxonomical studies of the isolated strain were performed with reference to Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, vol. 1 published by Williams and Wilkius, Baltimore/London and The Genus Bacillus, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Further the isolated strain has been identified as Bacillus coagulans from the fact that it does not grow at 65°C but grows at a temperature of from 30 to 60 °C and in the presence of 0.02% of sodium azide, does not produce ammonia from urea, and produces dihydroxyacetone.
Japanese Patent No. 947335 discloses a CGTase producing microorganism (FERM P-2219) belonging to the species B.stearothermophilus which grows at 60°C and does not grow at 65°C. However, the isolated strain (YH-1306) of the present invention grows in the presence of 3% sodium chloride and cannot utilize inorganic nitrogen compounds, the shape of the sporangium is different from that of FERM P-2219 and it can be concluded that the isolated bacterial strain of the present invention is a novel microorganism producing CGTase. Further, as described below, the enzymatic properties and substrate specificity of the CGTase produced by the strain (YH-1306) are different from those described in Japanese Patent No. 947335 and therefore the strain (YH-1306) is considered to be novel. The isolated strain (YH-1306) does not grow under alkaliphilic conditions and does not assimilate citric acid and is therefore obviously different from B.megaterium and B.circulans. In conclusion, the strain (YH-1306) of the present invention is identified as a microorganism belonging to the species B.coagulans. Taxonomical properties of the strain (YH-1306) are listed in Table 1 below.
The strain (YH-1306) used in the present invention was deposited with the Fermentation Research Institute (FRI) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty under the accession number of FERM BP-2258.
The novel CGTase of the present invention will now be explained in detail. A culture whose pH is regulated to 5.8 to 7.5, preferably 6.5 to 7.0, is inoculated with the CGTase producing microorganism belonging to the species B.coagulans and then the inoculated culture is aerobically cultivated at a temperature between 30 and 60°C, preferably between 45 and 50°C for 30 to 80 hours to produce and accumulate the CGTase in the cultivation fluid as an extracellular enzyme.
Various materials which are known and cheaply available can be used as nutrient sources in the culture medium used in the present invention. Examples of nitrogen sources include corn steep liquor, polypeptone, soybean meal, bran, meat extract, yeast extract and amino acid solutions. Examples of carbon sources include corn syrup, maltose, various starchs, soluble starch, liquefied starch, dextrin and pullulan.
In addition to the nitrogen and carbon sources, various salts such as inorganic salts (for example magnesium salts, potassium salts, phosphates, ferric salts) and various vitamins may be optionally added to the culture.
An example of a culture medium suitable for the above cultivation is a liquid medium containing 5% corn steep liquor, 0.1% K₂HPO₄, 0.02% MgSO₄·7H₂O, and 0.005% CaCl₂·2H₂O.
The CGTase producing microorganism (FERM BP-2258) used in the present invention produces an extracellular enzyme. The extracellular enzyme accumulates in the culture liquid which is subjected to centrifugation to remove microbial cells and obtain a crude enzyme. Use of the resulting crude enzyme without purification is economical. However, the crude enzyme may be purified and this purification can be conducted by, for example, salting out with ammonium sulfate, solvent precipitation with ethanol, acetone or isopropanol, ultrafiltration or general enzyme purification using an ion exchange resin.
A preferred example of a method for preparation of the pure CGTase of the present invention will be explained.
A medium containing 5% (w/v) corn steep liquor, 0.1% K₂HPO₄, 0.02% MgSO₄·7H₂O and 0.005% CaCl₂·2H₂O is inoculated with the moderate thermophile Bacillus coagulans (YH-1306) and the culture is then aerobically cultivated at 45°C for 72 hours under the following conditions: aeration rate of 1 v.v.m. and agitation at 250 r.p.m.. The resulting culture broth is subjected to a continuous centrifugal separation at 10,000 r.p.m. at a temperature of 4°C to remove bacterial cells and obtain a supernatant (crude enzyme solution). Then solid ammonium sulfate is added to the crude enzyme solution up to about 20% saturation. The solution is passed through a corn starch layer to adsorb the enzyme from the solution and the enzyme is then extracted with an excess volume of 40mM disodium hydrogen phosphate solution. The resulting extract solution is concentrated by use of an ultrafiltration membrane (average fraction molecular weight: 10,000) and then the concentrated solution is then dialyzed against a 10 mM acetate buffer solution (pH 6.0) containing 1 mM CaCl₂ at 4°C overnight. The precipitates formed during the dialysis are removed by centrifugation. The resulting supernatant is adsorbed on a DEAE®-Toyopearl 650M column equilibrated with, for example a 10mM acetate buffer solution and the enzyme is eluted with a similar buffer solution containing 0 to 0.7 M NaCl by the linear gradient method. The eluted active fractions are collected and concentrated using the above-mentioned ultrafiltration membrane. Then the concentrated fractions are loaded onto a Sephacryl® S-200 column equilibrated with the same buffer solution containing 0.1 M NaCl and eluted with the buffer solution.
The eluted active fractions are collected and concentrated using the above-mentioned ultrafiltration membrane. The concentrated fractions are subjected to high performance liquid chromatography using a Shodex WS-2003® column. The active fractions are collected. The resulting purified enzyme is analyzed by polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis (PAGE, gel concentration: 7.5%). The analysis shows that the purified enzyme is homogeneous. The yield of enzyme activity by this purification is about 25%.
The β-CD-forming activity can be determined by the method of Kaneko et al.(J. Jpm. Soc. Starch Sci., vol. 34, p. 45-48, 1987) as follows. The reaction mixture containing 1.0 ml of a 4% (w/v) soluble starch solution in 0.1 M acetate buffer solution (pH 6.0) and 0.1 ml of an enzyme solution is incubated at 60°C for 20 minutes, whereafter the reaction is stopped by addition of 3.5 ml of a 30 mM NaOH solution. Then 0.5 ml of 0.02% (w/v) phenolphthalein in 5 mM Na₂CO₃ solution is added to the reaction mixture which is then incubated for about 15 minutes at room temperature. The color of the resulting solution is measured by a photoelectric colorimeter (Klett-Summerson type) using a filter No.54 (550 nm). 1.0 ml of a 0.5 mg/ml β-CD solution is used as a standard, which is similarly treated with the phenolphthalein solution. One unit of the enzyme activity is defined as the amount of the enzyme required to form 1 mg β-CD per 1 minute under the conditions described above.
The physical and enzymological properties of the CGTase obtained by the method of the present invention were compared with those of CGTases obtained from known bacteria. The results are shown in Table 2.
As shown in Table 2, the CGTase of the present invention is different from the CGTases of B.stearothermophilus and B.macerans in the initial reaction product from starch. Further the CGTase of the present invention is different from the enzyme of the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. in the CDs composition of the final product.
Although the initial product and the CDs composition of the final product of the CGTase of the present invention are the same as those of the CGTase of B.megaterium, they are different in profiles of pH and temperature on activity and stability. From the industrial viewpoint, use of the enzyme of B.macerans is preferred for production of α-CD and use of an enzyme of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. is preferred for production of β-CD, but both of these enzymes have disadvantages in optimum temperature and temperature stability.
Use of CGTases of B.megaterium and B.stearothermophilus is suitable for the production of α, β and γ-CD in good proportion. However, the CGTase of B.megaterium has disadvantages in optimum temperature and temperature stability,and pollution of the reaction mixture with bacteria cannot be sufficiently prevented. The CGTase of B.stearothermophilus has high optimum temperature and exhibits superior temperature stability.
The optimum temperature and temperature stability of an enzyme are generally measured in the absence of a substrate or at a low substrate concentration but reaction is practically conducted using a high concentration of substrate such as 10 to 20% (w/v) from an economical viewpoint. In the solution containing a substrate in a high concentration, the enzyme is generally stabilized by the protecting action of the substrate. Similarly, the CGTase is stabilized in a substrate solution and exhibits higher temperature stability than in a solution without the substrate. CDs obtained by reaction of a CGTase with starch are generally purified by crystallization, membrane separation or chromatography using an ion exchange resin or a gel filtration resin but after reaction of the CGTase, a fair amount of high molecular weight dextrins and maltooligosaccharides remain in the reaction solution due to the substrate specificity of the CGTase. These remaining components actually make operations such as deionization and filtration impossible and therefore the reaction solution is subjected to action of amylolytic enzymes such as α-amylase, β-amylase, glucoamylase and α-1,6-glucosidase to hydrolyze and decompose the high molecular weight dextrins and maltooligosaccharides and reduce the viscosity of the reaction solution. When the CGTase used for the CDs production reaction is still active after the reaction, as mentioned above, the produced CDs are hydrolyzed by coupling and disproportionating actions of the CGTase during the saccharification step to reduce the viscosity of the solution. For the above reasons, the CGTase has to be completely inactivated before using various amylolytic enzymes for the re-saccharification of the oligosaccharides and dextrins aside from CDs. Use of acids and alkaline agents is not economical for the following reasons: Undesirable side reactions such as hydrolysis and isomerization occur and much energy and labor are necessary for purification such as deionization and decoloration because the pH should be re-adjusted with alkaline agents or acids to the optimum pH of the enzyme used for re-saccharification prior to the re-saccharification. Thus heat inactivation is generally used for the inactivation of CGTases. However, the heat inactivation is not economical for the inactivation of the CGTase of B.stearothermophilus because it has high temperature stability. Under the circumstances, the use of the CGTase of the present invention is quite economical because it has not only an optimum temperature suitable for prevention of microbial pollution of a reaction vessel and temperature stability suitable for heat inactivation but also an optimum pH similar to those of various amylases used for re-saccharification of dextrins and oligosaccharides.
According to a method of the present invention, the CGTase useful for preparation of CDs from starch can cheaply be provided in large amounts. Further carbohydrates containing α, β and γ-CDs in good proportion can be prepared by the CGTase on a large scale.

Examples

The novel CGTase of the present invention and a method for preparation thereof will now be explained referring to the following Examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the Examples.

Example 1

300 ml of a medium (pH 6.8) containing 1% soluble starch, 1.5% polypeptone, 0.5% yeast extract, 0.1% K₂HPO₄, 0.02% MgSO₄·7H₂O and 0.005% CaCl₂·2H₂O were inoculated with the moderate thermophile Bacillus YH-1306 (FERM BP-2258) strain in a two liters conical flask with flutings and cultivated at 45°C under agitation at 200 r.p.m. for 20 hours to obtain a seed solution. The resulting seed solution (290 ml) was added to 15 liters of a medium having the same composition as the medium used above in a 30 liters jar fermentor and aerobically cultivated at 45°C an an aeration rate of 1.5 v.v.m. for 48 hours under agitation at 250 r.p.m.. After cultivation, the bacterial cells were removed by continuous centrifugation (12,000 g, 4°C) and the resulting supernatant were subjected to a tenfold concentration by use of an ultrafiltration membrane (average molecular weight: 10,000) to obtain about 1.5 liters of a crude enzyme solution having a CGTase activity of 180 units/ml.
Then solid ammonium sulfate is added to the crude enzyme solution up to 20% saturation. The solution is passed through a corn starch layer to adsorb the enzyme from the solution and the enzyme is then extracted with an excess volume of 40mM disodium hydrogen phosphate solution. The resulting extract solution is concentrated by use of an ultrafiltration membrane (average fraction molecular weight: 10,000) and the concentrated solution is then dialyzed against a 10 mM acetate buffer solution (pH 6.0) containing 1 mM CaCl₂ at 4°C overnight. The precipitates formed during the dialysis are removed by centrifugation. The resulting supernatant is adsorbed on a DEAE®-Toyopearl 650M column equilibrated with the 10mM acetate buffer solution and the enzyme is eluted with a similar buffer solution containing 0 to 0.7 M NaCl by the linear gradient method. The eluted active fractions are collected and concentrated using the above-mentioned ultrafiltration membrane.
The resulting crude enzyme solution was loaded onto a Sephacryl® S-200 column equilibrated with a 10 mM acetate buffer solution (pH 6.0) containing 0.1 M sodium chloride and elution was conducted with the same buffer solution. The eluted active fractions were collected and concentrated using the ultrafiltration membrane used above. The concentrated solution was subjected to high performance liquid chromatography using a Shodex® WS-2003 column to collect active fractions. The resulting purified enzyme was analyzed by polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis (gel concentration: 7.5%) and the analysis showed that the purified enzyme had a single component. The yield of enzyme activity was about 25%.

Example 2

(a) 100 ml of 13% (w/v) potato starch suspension (pH 6.5) containing 3 mM CaCl₂·2H₂O was liquefied using a bacterial liquefying type α-amylase (manufactured by Daiwa Kasei K.K., Chrystase L-1) at 90 to 92°C and immediately heated at 125°C for 30 minutes to obtain a starch liquefied solution with 1.2 of D.E. (Dextrose Equivalent: ratio of total solid to direct reducing sugar). Then the purified CGTase obtained in Example 1 was added to the starch liquefied solution in an amount of three units per one gram of the starch liquefied solution and reacted at 70°C and pH 6.5. This reaction mixture was sampled over a time course and CDs in the sampled reaction mixture were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a HPX-42A column manufactured by Bio-Rad Lab.. The results are shown in Fig. 1.
(b) Specificity
55 mg of an oligosaccharide (maltose, maltotriose or maltotetrose) and 1 mM CaCl₂·2H₂O were dissolved in 1.0 ml water. To the resulting solution, five units of the purified CGTase of the present invention were added and the reaction was conducted at 65°C for 24 hours. The obtained reaction mixture was analyzed by HLPC. The results are listed in Table 3.
(c) Optimum pH
The purified CGTase of the present invention was dialyzed against 1 mM EDTA solution overnight and then against water overnight. The resulting CGTase solution (0.1 ml) diluted suitably with deionized water was mixed with 1 ml of 4% (w/v) soluble starch in 0.1 M acetic acid buffer solutions (pH 4.2, 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0) or 0.1 M phosphate buffer solutions (pH 6.0, 6.5. 7.0 and 8.0) and the activity of the CGTase were measured as mentioned above. The relative activity at pH 6.5 was set at 100% and the pH dependence of the relative activity of the CGTase is shown in Fig. 2.
(d) Stable pH
The dialyzed CGTase of the present invention obtained by the same procedures as those of (c) was heat treated at 40°C for 2 hours at various pH values (4 to 10). Then the residual activity of the CGTase was measured. The activity before heating the pH 6.5 was set at 100% and the pH dependence of the residual activity is shown in Fig. 3. In the above procedures, the following buffer solutions were used: acetate buffer solutions (pH 4 to 6), phosphate buffer solutions (6 to 8) and glycine-NaOH-NaCl buffer solutions (pH 9 and 10).
(e) Optimum temperature for action
The activity of the dialyzed CGTase of the present invention obtained by the same procedures as those of (c) above was measured at various temperatures. The temperature dependence of the relative activity of the CGTase (relative activity at 65°C: 100%) is shown in Fig. 4.
(f) Inactivation and (g) temperature stability
The dialyzed CGTase of the present invention obtained by the same procedures as those of (c) was treated at various temperatures (40 to 80°C) for 15 minutes in the presence or in the absence of 5 mM CaCl₂·2H₂O and then the residual activity was measured. Results are shown in Fig. 5.
(h) Inhibition
A chloride form of various metals was added to a solution containing the dialyzed CGTase of the present invention obtained by the same procedures as those of (c) to make the concentration thereof 1 mM (mercury: 0.1 mM) and then the activity of the CGTase was measured. Results are shown in Table 4 as the relative activity (the relative activity of the CGTase in the absence of metal was set at 100%).
(i) Stabilization
Various CaCl₂ solutions (CaCl₂ concentration: 0 to 3 mM) were added to solutions of the dialyzed CGTase of the present invention obtained by the same procedures as those of (c) and maintained at 75° for 15 minutes. Then the residual activity of the CGTase was measured. The results are shown in Fig. 6 as the relative activity (the relative activity in the presence of 3 mM CaCl₂ was set at 100%).
(j) Molecular weight
The molecular weight of the CGTase of the present invention was measured by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) described in K. Weber and M. Osborn, J. Biol. Chem., vol. 244, p. 4406, 1969 (Fig. 7). The molecular weight of the CGTase of the present invention was 36,000 ± 1,000.
(k) Isoelectric point
The isoelectric point of the CGTase of the present invention was measured by the chromatofocusing method using PBE94 gel and Polybuffer 74 manufactured by Pharmacia and was 4.8 ± 0.1.

As described above, according to the present invention, the CGTase which has an optimum temperature of the enzyme reaction at about 65°C, which is completely inactivated at about 80°C and which has an optimum pH similar to those of various amylolytic enzymes used for re-saccharification after CDs producing reaction is provided.
The CGTase produces maltooligosaccharides containing β-CD as main component together with an appropriate amount of α-CD and γ-CD from starch. Further the method for preparation of CDs using the CGTase of the present invention is economical since no agent is required for the method, additional treatment such as deionization can be simplified and heat energy can be saved.
Thus the present invention makes it possible to produce CDs cheaply in large scale and the present invention has industrial significance.

Claims

A cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase having the following physical properties:
(a) Action: Cleavage of α-1,4-glucopyranoside bonds of an α-1,4-glucan such as starch and glycogen or partial hydrolysates thereof resulting in cyclodextrins and production of β-cyclodextrin as the initial reaction product of CDs-formation reaction;

(b) Substrate specificity: Reaction with a maltooligosaccharide having α-1,4-glucopyranosidic linkages with a chain length not less than that of maltotriose to form various maltooligosaccharides with various molecular weights and cyclodextrins by intermolecular coupling and disproportionating reactions between substrates;

(c) Optimum pH: About 6.5;

(d) Stable pH: Stable at pH 6 to 9 at 40°C for 2 hours;

(e) Optimum temperature: About 65°C;

(f) Inactivation condition: Completely inactivated by treatment at pH 4.5 and 11.5 at a temperature of 40°C for 2 hours and by treatment at pH 6 at 75°C for 15 minutes;

(g) Heat stability: Stable up to 50°C when incubated at pH 6 for 15 minutes; residual activity at 60°C and 70°C is 95% and 20%, respectively, under the same conditions;

(h) Inhibition: Inhibited by mercury (II)-or copper(II)-ions;

(i) Activation and stabilization: Stabilized by calcium ions;

(j) Molecular weight (SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis): 36,000 ± 1,000;

(k) Isoelectric point (chromatofocusing): 4.8 ± 0.1.
A method for the preparation of a cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase which comprises cultivating a cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase producing microorganism belonging to the species Bacillus coagulans and collecting the cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase from the resulting culture broth.
The method of claim 2 wherein the cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase producing microorganism belonging to the species Bacillus coagulans is the Bacillus coagulans strain YH-1306 (FERM BP-2258).
The method of claim 2 or 3 wherein the cultivation is conducted aerobically at 30 to 60°C.
The method of any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the pH of the culture solution used for the cultivation ranges from 5.8 to 7.5.
Bacillus coagulans strain YH-1306, (FERM BP-2258).